Field emission devices (FEDs) are known in the art and may be realized using a variety of methods some of which require complex materials deposition techniques and others which require undesirable etch steps.
Typically FEDs are comprised of an electron emitter, a gate extraction electrode, and an anode, although two element structures comprised of only an electron emitter and anode are known. In a customary application of an FED a suitable potential is applied to at least the gate extraction electrode so as to induce an electric field of suitable magnitude and polarity such that electrons may tunnel through a reduced surface potential barrier of finite extent with increased probability. Emitted electrons, those which have escaped the surface of the electron emitter electrode into free-space, are generally preferentially collected at the device anode.
Various device geometries which may be realized using the known methods include FEDs which emit electrons substantially perpendicularly with respect to a supporting substrate and other FEDs which emit electrons substantially parallel with reference to the supporting substrate. A common shortcoming of these prior art FEDs is that an optimum emitter structure, which is known to be a cylindrical column or elongated ridge, is not realizable.
Accordingly, there is a need for a field emission device and/or a method for forming a field emission device which overcomes at least some of these shortcomings of the prior art.